Order of the Holy Trinity | |
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![]() Set of the Imperial Order of the Holy Trinity. | |
Awarded by ![]() | |
Type | Dynastic order |
Established | 2 November 1930 |
Royal house | Solomonic Dynasty |
Religious affiliation | Ethiopian Orthodoxy |
Ribbon | Red with yellow edges |
Eligibility | Ethiopian citizens and foreign nationals, both civilian and military |
Awarded for | Outstanding service to the Throne |
Grades | Grand Cross with Collar Grand Cross |
Post-nominals | GCHT* GCHT |
Former grades | Grand Cross Grand Officer Commander Officer Member |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | Order of the Queen of Sheba |
Next (lower) | Order of Menelik II |
![]() Ribbon bar of the order |
The Order of the Holy Trinity is an Ethiopian house order, established by Haile Selassie I on 2 November 1930, to celebrate his coronation. [1] It currently ranks as the fourth highest award in the Ethiopian order of precedence. [2]
Haile Selassie established the Order of the Holy Trinity on 2 November 1930, as a way to celebrate his coronation as Emperor of Ethiopia following the death of Empress Zewditu on 2 April. Initially established in five grades, it was only awarded to a select group of Ethiopian aristocracy, high-ranking clergy, and senior members of the Imperial Court. Eventually, the order was slimmed down to one grade, Grand Cross (with an additional Grand Collar to denote exceptionally extraordinary service), and made available to foreigners, both civilian and military. [3] Following the fall of the Ethiopian monarchy in 1975, the Order of the Holy Trinity remained present in the Ethiopian honors system, under the custody of the Crown Council. The current Grand Master of the order is Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie, grandson of Haile Selassie, and current president of the Crown Council. [4]
The badge and breast star of the Order of the Holy Trinity are both circular bronze-gilt medallions, bearing the points of a cross fleury. On the face of each medallion is an enamel trilobe emblem, divided by a forked cross, with each lobe depicting an image of (counterclockwise from the top) God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit. Circumscribing the inner emblem is an Amharic phrase, written using Ge'ez script. [5] For the badge of the order, the entire medallion is suspended from the sash by a bronze-gilt Ethiopian Imperial crown. [6]
Haile Selassie I was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (Enderase) for Empress Zewditu from 1916 until 1930. Haile Selassie is widely considered a defining figure in modern Ethiopian history, and the major figure of Rastafari, a religious movement in Jamaica that emerged shortly after he became emperor in the 1930s. Before he rose to power he defeated Ras Gugsa Welle Bitul of Begemder at the Battle of Anchem in 1928. He was a member of the Solomonic dynasty, which claims to trace lineage to Emperor Menelik I, a legendary figure believed by the claimants to be the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who they name as Makeda.
Menen Asfaw was Empress of Ethiopia as the wife of Emperor Haile Selassie.
Prince Makonnen Haile Selassie, Duke of Harar was the second son, and second-youngest child, of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Empress Menen Asfaw. He was made Mesfin of Harar upon the coronation of his parents in 1930.
Amha Selassie was Emperor-in-exile of Ethiopia. As son of Haile Selassie, he was Crown Prince and was proclaimed monarch three times. He was first proclaimed Emperor during an unsuccessful coup attempt against his father in December 1960, during which he alleged that he was detained and compelled to accept the title. After his father was deposed in a later coup, he was proclaimed King in absentia by the Derg on 12 September 1974 in an act which he never accepted as legitimate and that ended in the abolition of the Ethiopian monarchy on 21 March 1975. He was again proclaimed Emperor in exile on 8 April 1989. This time he sanctioned the proclamation and accepted its legitimacy. After his accession, his full reign name was His Imperial Majesty Emperor Amha Selassie I, Elect of God, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah and King of Kings of Ethiopia.
Princess Tenagnework Haile Selassie, GBE was the eldest child of Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen Asfaw.
Zera Yacob Amha Selassie is the grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie and son of Amha Selassie of the Ethiopian Empire. He has been head of the Imperial House of Ethiopia since 17 February 1997 as recognized by the Crown Council of Ethiopia.
The Solomonic dynasty, also known as the House of Solomon, was the ruling dynasty of the Ethiopian Empire from the thirteenth to twentieth centuries. The dynasty was founded by Yekuno Amlak, who overthrew the Zagwe dynasty in 1270. His successors claimed he was descended from the legendary king Menelik I, the supposed son of the biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, in order to legitimize the dynasty's assumption of power. Although this claimed ancestry gave the dynasty its name, there is no credible evidence that the dynasty was descended from Solomon or the Davidic line. The Solomonic dynasty remained in power until 1974, when its last emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown by a coup d'état.
Prince Sahle Selassie was the youngest child of Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen Asfaw of Ethiopia. His full title was "His Imperial Highness, Prince Sahle Selassie Haile Selassie".
Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie is the only son of Prince Sahle Selassie of Ethiopia and Princess Mahisente Habte Mariam. He is the grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, and furthermore of Dejazmach Habte Mariam Gebre-Igziabiher, also known as Kumsa Moroda who was the third and last Moti, or ruler, of the Welega kingdom also referred as the Leqa Neqamte state. Currently, Prince Ermias is President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia.
Princess Seble Desta was a member of the Solomonic dynasty, which ruled Ethiopia until 1974. She was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was the daughter of Princess Tenagnework Haile Selassie and Ras Desta Damtew, and granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Empress Menen Asfaw. Princess Seble's paternal grandfather, Fitawrari Damtew Ketema, was martyred during the Ethiopian victory against the Italians at Adwa.
Princess Sara Gizaw, Duchess of Harar was the widow of Prince Makonnen, Duke (Mesfin) of Harar and second son of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.
Princess Ijigayehu Amha Selassie was the eldest child of Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen of Ethiopia by his first wife, Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum and was the granddaughter to Emperor Haile Selassie.
Medferiashwork Abebe, baptismal name Amete Maryam, was the titular empress consort of Amha Selassie, emperor-in-exile of Ethiopia. Her full title used by monarchists was "Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Medferiashwork", but she was officially regarded in post-Derg Ethiopia as "Her Imperial Highness Princess Medferiashwork Abebe".
RasDesta Damtew KBE was an Ethiopian noble, an army commander, and a son-in-law of Emperor Haile Selassie I. He is known for his leadership in the Ethiopian Army during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. He was executed on 24 February 1937, by the Italian Armed Forces shortly after Ethiopia's loss in the war.
The Imperial Order of Solomon was an order of knighthood of the Ethiopian Empire founded in 1874. A special class Collar was created by Empress Zewditu in 1922. It was a split off from the Order of the Seal of Solomon and created as an independent order with a single grade of "Collar" by Emperor Haile Selassie I in 1930. Members are identified as a "Knight" of the Order of Solomon, with the use the post-nominal initials KS.
Le'ul RasMengesha Seyoum is a member of the imperial family of the Ethiopian Empire. In 1974, the monarchy was abolished by the Derg, a communist military junta.
The Imperial Order of Emperor Menelik II is an Ethiopian order established in 1924 by then-Regent Tafari Makonnen, during the reign of Empress Zewditu I, in order to honor the memory of Emperor Menelik II. The Imperial Order was often referred to as the Order of the Lion, for the lion depicted in the center of the red and green cross. The honor was designed by the Parisian firm Arthus-Betrand, and is presented in five grades: Knight Grand Cross, Knight Commander, Commander, Officer and Member.
The Order of the Seal of Solomon is an order of knighthood of the Ethiopian Empire, founded by Emperor Yohannes IV in 1874 as the highest imperial honour, containing five grades. In 1930, an even higher Order was established, i.e. the Order of Solomon, which was a split off from the Order of the Seal of Solomon. The Order was conferred on members of imperial house and upon persons who had rendered meritorious services.
Orders, decorations, and medals of Ethiopia are awards of the government of Ethiopia which are typically issued for sustained meritorious service, whether it be in a civilian capacity or in their capacity in the Ethiopian National Defense Force. They are governed by the laws of Ethiopia on awards.